


A Brief Episode

by MissGeorgieTate



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Drama, F/M, What is Andrea hiding?, buried secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-12 14:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21477700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissGeorgieTate/pseuds/MissGeorgieTate
Summary: The story behind Graham and Andrea's confrontation in June 2019. What would happen if Kim had discovered Andrea's secret.
Relationships: Graham Foster/Andrea Tate
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. The Black Horse, 2013

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jjscm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjscm/gifts).

> I do not own Emmerdale, the rights of which belong to ITV, Kevin Laffan, Keith Richardson and the cast and crew. This was written in June 2019, inspired by the confrontation between Graham and Andrea.
> 
> I own no rights to this storyline, which has since been introduced to Emmerdale in August 2019. 
> 
> With sincerest thanks to jjscm01 and feistyandpathetic for all their support in the creation of this story.

The Black Horse, 2013.

"You've been sitting there a while," the young barmaid observed, pulling a pint for another customer, "are you waiting for someone?"

The down and out, shabbily dressed, his face rugged and dark lifted his glass unsteadily. The pub was dingy at best, the perfect place to disappear. 

"Another."

"You sure? You look like you've had enough already."

The man, whose name was Graham grunted, fishing inside his pocket for some money and threw it at her.

"End of the road." He twisted the glass, "oblivion."

"Not a good idea." The barmaid took the glass.

"I paid for that." Graham snarled.

"Trust me, this is not the way. You stay any longer, I'll have to start charging you lodging money." She added lightly, her blue eyes dancing.

Graham could tell that she was pretty. She had an easy confidence that radiated from her. Someone who knew who they were.

His dark eyes flashed at her.

"Get me-another-drink." He stammered, slurring.

"You know this won't end well. Boss might like it, but not me." Reasoned the young woman.

"How verrrry asss-tute of you." Graham slammed the glass down on the counter as his phone rang beside him.

"You going to take that?" The young woman asked.

"None of your business." Graham gulped back the whisky, slamming the glass down viciously on the bar. 

"Is it your wife? Perhaps I should-"

She went to grab the phone but his strong hand clamped down on it, eyes full of menace. 

"I said, leave it." He kept his trembling hand on her wrist, looking into her face properly.

"Sorry, I just wanted to help."

"Help?" Graham scoffed, "there's a sweet, innocent thing." He paused, "then again." He released her arm, roughly, "what'sss yourname?"

"Andrea." She took her hand away, massaging the place where he had grabbed it.

"You work here often?"

"University job. Paying my way."

"Which university?" Graham swallowed, the glass hovering over the counter.

"Why you so interested?" Andrea asked.

Graham took a cautious look around before opening his wallet, taking out a photo.

"Nice. Your son is it?"

"I don't have one." Graham muttered, "you know him?"

"There's thousands of people at the university. Why him?"

"Because I can make it worth your while." He raised the glass.

"What?" Andrea was horrified.

"You heard me. Which universsssity?"

Andrea took out her pass from her pocket.

"There?"

Graham's mouth widened into a frightening smile.

"Excellent."

Andrea looked at him, puzzled as the landlord rang the bell.

"Same time, tomorrow. Be here. I think we could make this mutually benef-beneficial." He stumbled as he slid off the stool.

Andrea quickly pocketed her pass and went back to cleaning the bar.

"Glasses, Andrea." The landlord barked at her, pointing.

"Yeah, sorry." She watched the strange man leave with growing unease and set to clearing them.


	2. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Andrea decides it is in her interest to make an investment in her future.

The Plan

"Didn't think you'd be here." Graham admitted, sidling up to the bar. He looked less scruffy, his face not so drawn, but, Andrea noted, it was still early.

"I'm not sure I want to be a part of this."

"As I said, I can make it worth your while." Graham laid his wallet down on the bar.

Andrea's eyes fell on it.

"Its tough, University. All that debt."

"I never said I wanted that. I can make my own way, thanks." She pulled away, offended.

Graham slid his hands back from the countertop, pulling his wallet closer to him.

"I'll have a whisky." He clocked the landlord out of the corner of his eye.

Andrea glanced at her boss before planting the glass down on the bar, like a chess piece between them.

"Thank you. Manners cost nothing."

Andrea poured a measure into it.

"Okay. What is it that you want, exactly?" She capped the bottle.

"I need you to follow someone for me."

"Stalk them, you mean?" Andrea corrected with a sneer, "that guy you showed me?"

"His name is James Tate. Calls himself Jamie now."

"Right." Andrea nodded, "and?"

"I want you to keep me informed on his movements, his acquaintances."

"Because that's not at all suspicious."

"You're at the same university. It should be easy."

"And say I choose to do this? What are you getting from it? Are you police or summat?"

"No. Just a concerned party..."

"A concerned party? He's on the run?" Andrea persisted.

Graham frowned.

"No. Let's just say, I care about his welfare."

"And who are you, anyway?"

"As I said, a concerned party." He paused, his face tightening as he fought to keep his temper with the girl, "Graham."

"Graham," Andrea nodded, "okay, well, I'm not sure this is right."

"You have a conscience. Admirable, but foolish." He gulped back the whisky, "Another."

Andrea reflected.

"You said you'd pay me, if I do this."

A smirk grew on Graham's face.

"Ah. The draw of monetary gain." Andrea topped up his glass obediently. "£500 a month to begin with, but lets see, how good you are first."

"You want me to spy on Jamie for £500 a month?" She calculated it in her head, "but that's enough-"

"Hmm. Tempting, isn't it?" Graham mused, raising his glass.

Andrea stared at him, thinking of her life back home. Tempestuous was one word for it. Graham's offer would mean that she could leave home, get away from the madness.

"Alright. I'll do it." She said before she could stop herself.

He looked up.

"Every Monday. Here. At seven." He instructed, placing some notes down on the bar, "will a transfer suffice?"

"You can't bring cash here. Boss'll get suspicious."

"Good point." Graham took another deep glug of whisky, grabbing a beermat and scrawling his number on there. Andrea swiped it across and tucked it into her jeans.

"I'll get another." He instructed her.

She went to pour the measure and he grasped her hand.

"I'm trusssting you," he hissed quietly, "if you don't keep your part of the arrangement, I will desssstroy you."

Andrea nodded quickly, struggling not to show fear and gently eased her hand from his grip.

"Here. Monday." He told her, draining the glass again, "another."


	3. The Golden Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The arrangement begins, but Andrea realises she is in too deep...

The Golden Girl

The arrangement had begun. However strange, Graham knew it would be futile to pursue Jamie, who loathed him.

Having Andrea act on his behalf seemed like the perfect alternative, however as the months wore on, he sensed that something wasn't quite right. As he regained himself from drunken stupor, Andrea became less communicative and more evasive when it came to delivering news of Jamie.

He should have seen it, he berated himself.

Then she had turned up, blind drunk, one night, on his doorstep of the flat he resided in whilst Joe was at college.

"Andrea?"

"I can't-do it-" she staggered in, "I love him. I love him!"

Drunken ramblings, he had thought.

"You can't be here." He told her firmly, feeling guilty for seeing her in such a state.

"I have-to-nowhere to go-" she stumbled into the lounge.

"Andrea-"

"You got what you needed-" she spat, "skint. Nothing left."

"You should have managed." Graham growled.

She leaned on the sideboard, gathering herself, "can't. Do it, Graham."

"You'll have to. I've been patient, Andrea."

She sobbed, "I love him."

"You've become too close." Graham corrected, "that wasn't the arrangement. Keep to it. Or I'll stop the payments."

"No. Not doing this anymore." She shook her head, colliding with him as she attempted to go to the door.

"You can't get out of this, Andrea." His voice was deep and dark.

"Never wanted to hurt-to do-"

"It doesn't matter." He whispered, "you have."

"I can't tell him. I can't."

"You'll have to." Graham shrugged.

"Why did I get mixed up in this?"

"The same reason that I ended up in your pub. Choice."

She sniffed.

"You can't force me to do this anymore. I love him. I really do!"

Graham moved in closer to her.

"I warned you, Andrea."

Instinctively, as though believing it was her only option, she kissed him, her salty tears staining his shirt.

"Andrea, you really don't want to do this." Graham gently eased her away.

"I don't have any choice. I can't tell him the truth." She sobbed, clutching at him clumsily. "I've got nothing left."

"This isn't a good idea." He repeated.

"Why not? You've taken everyth-everything else from me." She choked out, reaching for his face.

"Andrea. No." He caught her wrist and held it level to his chest, his grip slacking slightly so as not to hurt her.

"Come on, Graham. This was your plan all along." She taunted him.

"I don't play games, Andrea."

"Getting me to spy for you? Yeah, definitely not." She sneered, "that's it, isn't it?"

"Andrea." He stated calmly, darkly.

Intoxicated by drink, overwhelmed with emotion, she kissed him again and this time he responded.


	4. The Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sudden strike of reality interrupts, but who is responsible?

She felt sick from the moment she awoke, her head hammering as she turned to look at the digital clock by the bedside.

However it wasn't the one she recognised. She wasn't in her room.

The sparse decoration was a rude awakening as she blinked, squinting at the clothing strewn across the carpet. This wasn't her bed.

Her brow creased as she fought to regain her memory of the previous night. Getting drunk at the bar, stumbling back-somewhere.

It hit her like a brick and she clutched her stomach, hauling herself from the bed. There was a dressing gown at the end of the bed, draped over the rail. She quickly put it on and moved slowly out into the living area, her stomach clenching as began to recall the night's events.

She had been, with him. Her heart jumped to her throat as she thought of Jamie. She had to get out.

Seeing that the flat was deserted, she hastily pulled on last night's clothes and was out of the door, dignity intact before she could be missed.

Of what little money she had, she managed to get home and quickly freshened up, washing away the memory and guilt.

Yet as the weeks passed she knew that something had changed and it didn't take long to confirm her suspicions.

Pregnant. But to who?


	5. The Reunion, June 2019

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrea and Graham are reunited, as old secrets come to the fore...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With sincerest recognition of the work of the INCREDIBLE Jo Maris, who wrote the double bill of episodes on 11th June, 2019. This is inspired by her amazing work!

Reunion, June 2019

"Millie's enjoying the scooter. That was a good purchase." Jamie observed as they sat side by side in the little shelter on the edge of the drive watching Millie push herself around on her new toy.

"You okay? You haven't said much." He nudged Andrea, looking concerned.

"Yeah, fine, just, you know, taking in the scenery."

"Bit different to Liverpool." Jamie smiled, "look, I know Mum isn't making it easy for you-"

"Its fine. I mean, she was never gonna like me unless I was a million dollar heiress. No one would be good enough for her."

"Well, you are." He put his arm around her, kissing her head, "I love you so much. You and Millie, you're my world. This is just a place."

Andrea swallowed, shaking her head as she looked at Millie. It was becoming obvious with every year that passed. The dark eyes were unmistakable.

"She looks like my sister." Jamie commented, following Andrea's eyeline to Millie, "she lives in New Zealand, haven't seen her in years."

"Oh, that's the one whose got the daughter?" Andrea queried.

"Yeah. Well remembered." Jamie grinned, "got her dad's eyes, haven't you, Millie?"

Millie, upon hearing her name, jumped off her scooter and came running toward Jamie, arms outstretched.

Beside him, Andrea felt herself cringe.

"Jamie, do you mind if I go in for a bit? I'm a bit shattered after all that 'brainstorming' with Erica?"

"Listen, that woman could tire anyone out. Go on, I'll join you later." He kissed her cheek and she left them alone, stopping when she got to the front doors to look back at them, Millie being hugged by her Daddy.

Her Daddy. She tore her face away. She couldn't hide it any longer. She had to tell him.

She approached the office doors, checking around.

"Looking for someone?" Kim asked.

"Millie, er- left her toy in the office." She bluffed.

"Oh, well, I'm sure Lydia will find it." Kim folded her arms, planting a false smile on her face, "anything I can help with?"

"No, you're alright, thanks." She turned to walk away.

"If you could try to keep your little treasure under control. We don't want any more accidents involving priceless antiquities? That's expensive ornaments if you need the translation?"

"Thanks. Will do."

"Good. Well, until later. You will be joining us for dinner, won't you?"

"Course."

"Well, that's one word for you, at any rate."

Kim left her with the false smile.

Andrea waited until she was safely out of sight before going into the office.

Graham was sat, in his suit, perusing some property documents from potential investors.

"I thought we'd had our catch up already?" He questioned without looking at her.

"Graham, there's something you need to know."

He stopped, his head turning slowly.

"There's no easy way to say this. I've thought it over and over in my head, but I can't, I won't lie anymore. The thing is, Millie-"

"Is something of a troublemaker, according to Kim." Graham replied.

Andrea closed her eyes.

"Graham, she's yours." The words spun from her mouth.

Graham's jaw twitched and he looked forward.

"That's impossible."

"Is it?" Andrea retorted, "you don't remember what happened? That night when I came to see you? I was blind drunk. I told you I couldn't spy any more."

Graham turned away defiantly.

"No. You must have that wrong."

"I don't. Graham, you only have to look at her to see-"

"See what?" Kim entered the office, looking at Andrea and Graham with glee, "oh, more cosy little chats together?"

Neither of them replied.

"Well? People will start to gossip? Not me, obviously. I'm far too discreet. Unlike some." She reeled off.

Andrea looked to Graham.

"Well, if you're not going to tell me, I'll have to do some digging, which, as Graham will tell you, never ends well." Kim went on.

"Kim, I'm sorry if you feel like I've latched onto Jamie-"

"So the little chat you had earlier, that was just the tip of the iceberg, was it?"

"I won't lie, Kim." Andrea told her.

"First decent thing you've said." Kim quipped.

"I never meant for this to happen. I fell in love."

"You trapped him." Kim corrected. "With that little troublemaker. You know, I don't know how Jamie can be sure of anything with you. Considering the services you've provided to goodness knows how many men?"

"Thats enough, Kim." Graham stepped in.

"Oh, defending her? Typical."


	6. The Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim, furious at Graham's betrayal, takes matters into her own hands...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the work of the brilliant Kirsty Halton, who wrote the episode on 12th June 2019.

The Revelation.

"Any old damsel, is it, Graham? No, you prefer them younger, scruffy little tarts." She looked over Andrea in disgust.

"Kim-"

"He doesn't have to defend me. I can look after myself." Andrea snarled.

"Of course you can, once the money starts rolling in. That is what you're waiting for, isn't it? Me to 'pop my clogs'."

"I told you, I'm not interested in your money!"

"Then what do you want, Andrea?" Kim spat.

Andrea turned to Graham.

"I'm...Millie's father." He said.

"Sorry, you're what?" Kim was half amused, half incredulous.

"I'm...Millie's father." Graham repeated.

"As I suspected." Kim crowed, "hooker."

"It wasn't like that." Andrea attempted to explain, "it was one night."

"One night when you were supposed to be devotedly in love with my son!" Kim snapped, "I should have known there was more to you. Face of a saint, virtue of a w***."

"Enough!"

Graham's voice boomed, silencing everything.

"Mum?" Jamie poked his head in, "Andrea? What's going on?" He saw that she was in tears and went straight to her.

"Where's Millie?"

"Its okay. She's upstairs." He looked around at their expressions, turning to Graham first, "what's he said?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" Kim moved forward, smiling, "your darling wife just made a rather important admission."

"What are you talking about? Andrea?"

"I'm sorry, Jamie." She sniffed, his hands firmly planted in hers.

"What is it? If you've hurt her..." he warned Graham.

"Oh, quite the contrary."

"Jamie, I..."

"Please. Tell me. You can tell me anything. You know that." He searched her eyes.

"Jamie, please, let me speak."

"Perhaps it would be best to talk alone?" Graham suggested pointedly to Kim.

"Oh no. I don't think so."

"Kim."

"Why don't you tell him, Andrea?" Demanded Kim.

"Tell me...?"

"Oh, just a tiny little thing. Millie isn't yours." Kim told him, relishing the look on Andrea's face.


	7. The Fallout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family ties hang by a thread at Home Farm, where Jamie is at a loss.

"What?" Jamie swept his head sharply toward Kim.

"Why don't you tell him the truth, Andrea? Could save a lot of heartache in the long run." Kim pressed.

"Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you?" Jamie sniffed, scratching his neck in his nervousness, "how could you say something like that?"

"Very easily." Kim looked at him pleadingly, "I don't want you getting hurt."

"Hurt? To accuse my wife of being unfaithful to me? Saying that my daughter isn't mine?" He shot a glare at Graham, "even now, you're still trying to ruin my life."

Jamie scooped his arm around Andrea's shoulder.

"Come on, I'm not having you insulted like this."

He led her toward the door.

"And you wonder why I've avoided you for this long." Jamie added to his mother, "we're done."

"Jamie, please! I just want to stop you making any more mistakes!" Kim followed, tottering slightly in her spiky boots, with Graham closely behind.

"The only mistake I've made is letting you manipulate me again." He told her firmly, "this is my wife. I love her." Jamie stared into Andrea's face, "I know that I could tell her anything and that she'd tell me too."

Kim's eyes rested on Andrea, willing her to tell the truth.

"Jamie," she started.

"No, you don't have to justify yourself to anyone." Jamie held her hand tightly.

"Please, I need to tell you." Andrea took both of his hands.

"What is it? You can tell me anything?"

Andrea looked away before slowly raising her head to lock eyes with Jamie.

"I'm so sorry."

"What?"

She pursed her lips.

"Andrea?" Panic filled Jamie's face.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She stammered.

He stepped back, his expression displaying all the signs that he was about to suffer a panic attack.

"Jamie, I never wanted this."

"Just tell me." His voice cracked.

"Millie." She began, her face cracking, "Millie..."

"No. No. No." Jamie grasped the curved banister, sliding to a sitting position on the stairs as Kim saw her opportunity to show some motherly comfort.

Andrea looked across at Graham, his eyes were down, full of pity.

"Jamie, I can't lie-I can't-"

Jamie breathed deeply, brow creased, on the verge of tears.

"Please." He muttered.

"She's not..."

Jamie winced, looking genuinely heartbroken as his cheeks swelled, fighting back tears that came so readily.

"I'm sorry." Andrea pleaded, "it wasn't..."

"When?" He asked, his voice sounding gruff and cold.

"We weren't married. It was-before." Andrea explained.

"When you were working for him?" Jamie gestured, pausing a moment, realisation coming over his face. "Oh my God. You-and-him." His breathing gathered pace, his hands began to tremble as he gasped for air.

"What's happening?" Kim pressed her hand to his arm, "Jamie?"

"Its a panic attack." Andrea informed her, grabbing a paper bag from her handbag, "Jamie, breathe into this." Kim snatched it from her with a vicious scowl and held it in front of Jamie's face.

"Jamie, its okay. I'm here." Kim glared at Graham and Andrea, "look at what you've done."

"It won't last long, Kim." Graham replied knowledgeably.

Kim scoffed at him as Andrea came to his aid, far more experienced in dealing with Jamie's attacks.

"Jamie, just breathe, okay. Nice and slowly."

"I think you've done enough." Kim snarled at her in warning.

Jamie nodded, no longer hyperventilating. As his vision adjusted, he came to focus on the faces around him. First Kim, then Andrea.

"How are you feeling?" Kim asked kindly.

"Leave me alone." Jamie lifted his hand.

"Jamie..."

"She's Graham's, isn't she?" He responded bluntly, ignoring all civility.

Andrea nodded, her expression solemn.

Jamie's mouth twisted.

"Excuse me, I need some time to think." He stood up, stumbling slightly and walked toward the door, stopping in front of Graham, looking at him with disgust.

"Jamie, wait!" Kim called after him.

"No, don't. Don't you dare." He warned, suddenly sounding far more like Frank.

Jun 14"Happy now, are you?" Spat Andrea.

"Oh, don't you come the high and mighty with me!" Kim shook her finger in the younger woman's face, "I'm not the one who bedded a man who was paying her."

"No, but you've done worse."

Kim slapped her hard across the face.

"Kim!"

Andrea clutched her face, which was smarting painfully.

"Are you alright?" Graham came to her side.

"I'm fine. Truth hurts, doesn't it, Kim? Jamie told me what you put him through, growing up. That anxiety, these panic attacks he has, its all because of you."

"Get out of my house."

"Gladly." Andrea turned around.

"And you. Of all the things I've asked you to do, Graham, you couldn't do a single one. Apart from the one thing you fought so hard to avoid."

"It wasn't intentional."

"Oh and I'm you're the first man to have said that." Kim scorned, "please."

"It was a drunken mistake." Andrea defended, "besides, Millie loves Jamie. She knows him as her Daddy."

"But he's not, as you've just confirmed." Kim pointed out, "so why should he care about you or the kid any more?"

"Because I'm his wife."

"For now."

Andrea set her chin.

"Whatever you think, I love him. We're a family." She fled.

"Kim," Graham began.

"Well, Graham, I'm impressed." She went into the kitchen, bearing a smirk, "I should be horrified, but you know, you might have just solved the problem."

"I'm not sure taking pleasure from this is the best way forward for you, or Jamie."

"Well, at least he now knows what his darling wife is." She poured herself a glass of wine, enjoying Graham's discomfort, taunting him with it. "So, Daddy Graham, eh?"

"Don't, Kim."

"Well, you managed to see that one through, didn't you?"

"I didn't know anything about it. She disappeared. I never heard from her after that."

"And of course you made the effort. Meanwhile she was trapping him into marriage with that little brat!" Kim seethed with anger.

"I can't deny that I made mistakes, but I knew nothing about the child."

"And that's supposed to make it all better is it? Plead ignorance. You had a job to do and you gave it to her!"

"I wasn't in a fit state."

"No, you were too busy cultivating the boy, weren't you?"

"Joe was at college. He knew nothing about it."

"I told you, keep him in line and look after my son. Not. Difficult."

"He wouldn't let me near him. I had no choice. This seemed like the only alternative."

"And she was the best you could do?"

"I told you, I couldn't manage."

"I paid you to manage. Yet another failure, Graham. How many is that so far?" Kim asked whimsically.

Graham huffed.

"I agreed to help you, against my better judgement."

"Oh yes and you did well there. Finding that girl, setting her up."

Graham looked away, guiltily.

"I took no pleasure in doing what I did."

"No, because back then, you did as I told you to do. Convincingly too." Kim nodded, "especially when Frank identified her."

Graham hung his head back.

"Don't worry. No one will ever know." Kim assured him silkily, "but I do want you to deal with her." She gestured above, "give her an incentive."

"Don't you think Jamie's suffered enough as it is?"

"I'm not talking about Jamie. Whilst I can just about cope with the idea of having the brat around, she's nothing to do with my son, thanks to you."

"And you think thats an advantage?"

"Don't you? Get rid of her and the kid at the same time. Start afresh, somewhere."


	8. Looking to The Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Jamie be able to find it in his heart to put the past behind him?

Looking to The Future

"Where's Jamie?" Andrea asked, walking into the kitchen. Kim was sat with Graham at the table, neither was speaking to the other.

"I don't know how you have the audacity to ask, considering it was your behaviour that drove him away." Kim snapped.

"I can't find him. Please, I'm worried."

Graham looked up from the table.

"Where did you last see him?"

"I don't know, he just took off." Andrea explained.

"Can you blame him? Finding out that his wife is not the devoted saint she appears to be?"

"If you were any kind of mother to him, you'd have followed, but you were too busy scheming with him to care." She gestured at Graham.

"That is not true!" Kim stood up violently.

"Isn't it? What have you actually ever done for him that hasn't been to gain advantage on someone else?"

Kim moved in, threateningly.

"Kim. Don't." Graham spoke up.

Kim locked eyes with Andrea.

"If something has happened to my son, your life won't be worth living." Kim vowed, sweeping out.

"Did Jamie give any indication as to where he might be going?" Graham asked as they sprinted out to the Discovery. Kim volunteered to stay behind encase he turned up and had promised to keep an eye on Millie.

"No. I don't know the area. He could be anywhere!" Andrea replied, helplessly.

"Is there anywhere that you've been recently that Jamie showed a particular interest, or like of?"

"I don't know." Andrea tried to focus, "there was one place, but I doubt he'd be there. He said something about visiting his Dad?"

"The cemetery." Graham pulled the car into gear and drove to the village, stopping outside the gate to the side of the churchyard, just beyond the bridge.

"I'll wait here. You need time to talk."

Andrea looked at Graham.

"Thank you."

She slammed the door and raced across the road to the churchyard, following the path up to the figure who stood in front of the imposing gravestone that read TATE in bold letters.

"Hey, you."

Jamie made no acknowledgment that he had heard her, his eyes fixed on the inscription on the grave. First Frank, then Chris.

"Jamie, I know I've hurt you, I just want to talk, to explain."

"All my life I've never known what was truth, what was a lie." Jamie began, "for years Mum wouldn't even tell me who Dad was. I always thought he was some kind of fantasy. Then she told me. For the first time in her life, she was honest."

He paused.

"Makes no difference really." He mused, sadly, "I don't remember him, he's just an image in a photograph. I've got one photo of him, that's it. That's my past."

"Jamie," Andrea moved closer to him but he shrugged her away.

"I really thought, when we had Millie, that I'd outgrown that fear. The fear that everything I touched was twisted."

He glanced at her.

"Turns out it was true. Because nothing that I have is mine, is it? Its been bought or paid for by her." He added viciously.

"Graham paid me to spy, he didn't buy me."

"He gave you a child. Our daughter, whom I will always love, but it makes no difference."

"Jamie, we can get through this. I know it will take a while-"

"I want to. Of course I do. You're my wife." Jamie admitted, scratching his neck, "I just don't know how we can when I don't know who you are." He hesitated, "there's nothing else, is there?"

Andrea took his hand.

"I promise you." She told him sincerely, "I will do anything, Jamie. I love you."

"And I love you too. So much. But I won't lie to Millie. She doesn't deserve that. So, when she's older, we'll tell her the truth."

"But she's our daughter, Jamie. You are her Daddy."

"I won't have her growing up like I did, not knowing what was real and what wasn't." Jamie shook his head.

Andrea considered, looking at the grave.

"If that's what you want."

"I never wanted any of this." Jamie's voice murmured with some bitterness, "but I won't lie to our daughter."

Andrea took some comfort in the way he placed his words, referring to Millie as "our daughter".

"Will you come home? Please?"

"I can't. Not now." He looked away, "I can't bear to see her smug face."

"Because she was right about me?"

"No. Whatever happens, you're my wife. That's it." Jamie drew a line with his hand, "but just promise me, you will tell me the truth."

"I promise. Come home when you're ready."

She left him staring at the grave and returned to Graham in the car.

"I take it that you found him. How is he?"

"Shocked, hurt." Andrea answered, pulling on her seatbelt.

"I'm sorry. Had I known-"

"Its okay, Graham." Andrea cut him off, "its in the past. I need to focus on the future."


End file.
